Without Patience And Persistence, Failure Is Just Around The Corner: Clothing Brand Story of Miami Money

Looking to start your own clothing brand or an apparel company? You’ve come to the right place!

“Persistence and patience is key in my book. You just never know when your time will come.”

A lot of people have started something, and eventually stopped it along the way because of some obstacles and challenges. Barry, the founder of Miami Money, suggests you to not be like them because you can just never know when your time will come! Read on to know more about the story and the success of the clothing brand!

How or what should we call you, and what is the name of your brand? What is the meaning behind the name of the brand? And how did you know that you were sure about the name?

Barry Damiano, founder of Miami Money, Inc. We are branded as a label and lifestyle, and it goes deeper than the money. It is about making dreams a reality and succeeding in all aspects of life while representing the Miami lifestyle and embodying the love for what we do. Coming up with the name was just trial and error, and having that feeling. I was writing down all kinds of possible names and kept saying them every day. I just stuck with the one that kept repeating in my mind.

When did you launch? When was the moment that you knew that you’re going to start your own brand? What was that “thing” that triggered you to start it? Did you see something online or did you see a gap in the market and thought to yourself that you are the one to fill that gap?

I launched the brand in December of 2012. I always knew I was going to run my own business and wanted to create things with substance. Eventually, my ideas and creativity, and the gaps I saw in the industry started the label.

How would you describe your brand? What category would it be in?

In terms of distinguishing the brand in the fashion industry, I would consider us to be high-street. If you don’t love what you do then the end product won’t be as good. We have a passion to provide quality, detailed goods that always tell a story.

What was your very first design? What was the inspiration behind it? In fact, what is your inspiration for the whole brand?

My first design came from the ideas of infusing the famous Lincoln Road in Miami Beach with the Abraham Lincoln penny to create a depiction of Miami Money as you would say. But the inspiration for the whole brand comes from just living here all my life, and seeing the endless possibilities for such a brand to be a staple in Miami culture.

Do you remember your first sale? When was the first time that you sold one of your products? Was it your very first design? How many days, weeks or months after officially opening your online store to the public? Was it sold to a friend or a person you didn’t know? How did you feel about this first sale?

I can’t remember my first sale but I know once I started making the clothes, I was selling them out of my trunk to friends. Must have been only a couple months after that that I officially started selling online as well.

Was there a collection or design that you didn’t think would pop as much as it did? Why did you think that it wouldn’t create that much impact? And after the response from your customers, did you get to a conclusion as to why it did sell more than what you thought?

All my collections and designs were monsters by themselves. But the New Money design sticks out and has been constantly restocked. When I first printed the design, I made it the South Beach edition and incorporating those SoBe colors. It is the brand logo of a stork holding a money bag instead of the baby that it has been widely known to have. The stork itself represents new birth, creativity, and prosperity, and that is transported through the brand. I think people took a liking to the design so much because there has never been another one like it and it stood out among the rest.

How did you get the brand out there? There are a lot of brands that come out almost every single day. What did you do to get recognized and show that your brand is different? Did you use social medias to get in touch with your customers? Was there a specific medium (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.) that you believe that got you to connect with them more? And, why is that?

In the beginning, Miami Money was just word of mouth through friends and colleagues. Once I achieved a buzz among them, I started really pushing through all my social media outlets, and creating accounts for the company in all outlets to maximize my exposure. Instagram and Twitter really got me to connect with a wider audience than the mediums such as Facebook. I have yet to tap into Snapchat for the brand. I have just been using my personal account (@luchinie) for that to showcase clothing and the process of making the clothes as well as news about the brand and so on.

Are you full-time on your brand? When did you know that you got something going on? What I mean is that from that point on, you’re going to start focusing more of your time to the brand? Or was it right from the very beginning?

I was never full-time on the brand, but it is basically me running the whole company always. Handling everything from marketing to design to distribution. I must give a lot of credit to all the photographers I have worked with over the years from all over the world. Together, we created stunning look books that are visually astounding. Along with that, I have had to balance that with work, school, and traveling the world, but the company never went under due to my persistence. I always knew I had something big on my hands when I created Miami Money, but hearing it from everyone else gave me a boost of confidence and more drive.

Before releasing your very first collection or design, or before launching your brand, what were you doing? What was your occupation? Were you in a similar industry?

Before Miami Money, I was on the phones selling everything from stocks to time shares. If it wasn’t on the phones, it was on the salesroom floor. I could always sell the products that were given to me, and I learned a lot from my brother being in the same industry.

For any business, they say that the first year is the hardest. Did you go through anything that got you demotivated? Was there ever a time that you thought that it wouldn’t work? Did anything happen that got you to this state? Then, how did you overcome this?

I never got demotivated. I thrive off motivation, and can get it from any of my surroundings, so, no, none of that was the case. I created Miami Money because I had a vision and had the motivation behind to make it happen. Despite people talking down on it or not feeling my product, it never discouraged me from the fact that I still believe whole heartedly in my brand, and nothing or no one was going to tell me otherwise.

What is the biggest achievement that you or the brand had so far? Was there a specific event that was so significant that it felt very fulfilling for you and the brand?

There have been several milestones in the company’s history but I think a definite turning point in the brand was when we got published in Status magazine based in Asia. Even though the company is called Miami Money, I never set my sights on just Miami. I always thought internationally. So, when the editors contacted me to do a spread for our Spring 15 collection, I knew I was on the right track.

So, what’s next for the brand? Do you have some ideas already for the next collection or design? When will it be out? Or is there anything else that we should be on the lookout for? Something that might surprise us?

What is next is our SS17 collection. I am hoping to start dropping goods within the next month or so seeing that Spring 17 is already among us. Also, be on the lookout for parties that we will be hosting and sponsoring in some of Miami’s hottest spots.

Do you have any advice or tips for aspiring brand owners? Do you have anything to say that could help them whenever they’re about to get to the point of giving up?

My advice for aspiring brand owners is to never give up. If you create something with substance and it is done right, and you have a passion for it, nothing can stop you. The possibilities are endless in this industry, and I witnessed it first-hand. Everyday people create something out of nothing, and it ends up being something great. I see it all the time. So if you ever feel like giving up, don’t. Persistence and patience is key in my book. You just never know when your time will come.

Finally, do you have one motivational quote that you always remember and say to yourself whenever you’re not feeling 100%? What would that be?

Not one motivational quote sticks out really when I’m having a bad day but in the beginning stages of the company, I did take heed to Walt Disney quotes. They are quite inspirational and always made me want to chase my dreams. I mean look at what he created with his imagination. He said it the best, “All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”